Pole Hill in the rain.

Windmap suggested that Sunday would be the best day with dry breezy wsw conditions predicted compared to the sunny day on Saturday with heavy rain showers. Windmap was spot on about Saturday but wrong (again) about Sunday.

I arrived about 11 to find overcast skies and light rain getting heavier. Full of confidence in the forecast I grabbed my models and headed up the hill. I got as far as the gate before I went back for my mini sport-brella because it was starting to rain and some dark overcast sky was heading my way! I met Hugh Barker heading back to the car with his unflown Sunbird under his arm. Rain and stiff wind are not the best for test flights of lightweight models.

With a steady light rain falling my first job when I got to the top of the hill was to assemble my mini sport-brella and take shelter. Time to get the flask out! I was soon joined by Peter and we huddled out of the rain and compared our weather today with that of the south of France. We decided that from Peter’s recent experience it was much the same only it was probably warmer in Scotland!!

The rain relented somewhat so we quickly put our models together and I heaved off my Ascot and Peter his Stinger. That Stinger goes well and “EM” turns on a sixpence (very tightly!!) We speculated that it should be possible to get a 100 metre course setup on this slope so that may be worth considering it in the future if East Lomond is ever clouded in. (As if!!)

At one point we ended up flying in the rain with water steaming off our goggles. We must be mad!! The rain did ease for a while later so we had some practice in reasonable conditions.

I must have been a little slow getting the flaps away or I was unlucky and caught a tussock of grass when I landed my Ascot because I knocked a flap servo loose which put paid to any more flights with the Ascot.  My trusty Spark was pulled out of the bag to let me get some more stick time. We had to hide from the rain again but it did clear once more.

Peter switched to his FS3 hoping to compare it with his Stinger which had being going well in some good air but the approaching “weather” saw the wind drop and the conditions deteriorate so we packed up and headed home.

No pictures today although Peter did post one on Facebook. Today was his birthday :) Many happy returns. I remember when I used to fly a loop for ever year of my age on my birthday. That could take a while these days!!